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"grading has three predictable effects - less interest in learning, a preference for easier tasks, and shallower thinking"

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"...students who have been socialized to think grades matter more than learning... The more attention is directed to how well they're doing, the less engaged they tend to be with what they're doing."

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Although they discuss the issues with rubrics, if we're going to use them, single-point provides clarity and leaves room for creative freedom.

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Which methods would you like to experiment with?

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Which methods would you like to experiment with?

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1) Contract Grading
2) Student self-assessment + conference
3) Buffet choices of PBLs
4) Pass / Fail
Combination + other ideas...

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How to translate ungrading methods to traditional A-F for state requirements / transcripts / etc.?

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"Grades are made up. That's it, that's the tweet."

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"What should I focus on next?"- student email response instead of asking "How am I doing?"

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Although graded, allowing students to resubmit work, especially projects, gives them an opportunity to reflect and improve work

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- Contracts- what grade are students striving for?
- Pass/fail- specifically with CAD

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- Group work- assessing individuals
- If having resubmissions and new assignments at same time, workload fatigue
- translation to report card grade

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Not a "concern," but more of a question....reading this book, I was struck with questioning my own interpretations of our mastery grading scale. Is it "open enough," considering the research on grading posed in this book, or does it still pose a structure that initiates students' reliance on "performing for a grade?" How can I continue to build self-motivation for learning within students, rather than their reliance on my judgement?

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Looking back on my time in college, I realize how much of the skills we learned were first "checked off" using a version of the mastery scale. It looked more like "Needs to Improve, Meets, or Exceeds", but when through step by step of the procedure and allowed black and white evaluation of how the student met that skill. It also allowed for self-reflection and the student could easily see where they needed to improve (see attached). That being said, we still took tests and had to obtain a C or above to stay in the program. Professors would often state how they felt the testing did not really evaluate the skills of the nurse, yet they still stuck with their standard grading scale. The skills evaluation using the "mastery scale" really had no weight in a student's final grade. But shouldn't it be the other way around, especially if we know that students demonstrate competency by showing and doing, rather than simply recalling information in a test format? I appreciated being evaluated on the skill and dreaded the tests. Healthcare professionals often use skills evaluation for job training and education, so why is this not more the norm?

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"However, when students receive grades, they were more ego-driven and saw success and failure as reflections of themselves. Thus, when I would put a letter or number on student work, I was passing judgment on the student."

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Mastery grading allows for student self-reflection and autonomy; teachers are not the gatekeepers for grades.  It helps to build relationships and supports the idea that teachers and students are doing the learning together in many ways, which then elevates the importance and purpose of learning.

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Playlists as a subset of "contract-grading"

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Playlists as a subset of "contract-grading"

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I do often use playlists as a smaller subset of contract-grading. Students can choose which mastery level they would like to achieve and work from there. For example, if they have three tasks in under Recall/Understand, they can choose to do all three for Exceeds, two for Mastery and one for developing. Here is an example of one of the playlists I am currently using. It is more in depth that I usually have them, but it allows the students to have a bit more flexibility in their choices and work.

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Reflections & Self-assessment - leading to ungrading

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Reflections & Self-assessment - leading to ungrading

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Having students self-assess and reflect is a good starting point that can lead into un-grading.  Though rubrics are kind of discouraged in this book, I created a general math mastery rubric based on our mastery descriptors at the beginning of this year and I've had students self-assess their understanding, normally just for reflection purposes.  I've had students submit a self-assess once using this rubric, and I've found that their self-assessment is normally equivalent and occasionally lower than what I'd assign.  I haven't gone to the extent of them fully self-assessing for their given grade, but it could be something I dive into.

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I want to try this, but I think it would be something I'd have to try in an upcoming year. My worry is the time needed for conferences.

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As a member of R&D, I read the book at the beginning of the year, and I have been using a self-assessment report that I developed for 7th grade. I use this document at the end of every large project, and the students have to fill it out in the following manner:

1. Write down the LO's and descriptions that are being assessed on that particular project
2. Assign themselves a mastery grade
3. Give a detailed and specific justification as to why they deserve that grade

I have seen some really cool things after using this self-assessment report. First, the students are usually harder on themselves than I would ever be. But, seeing that honesty is great! And secondly, I love seeing them advocate for themselves. I know there is a lot of effort behind-the-scenes of projects that I may not get to see by just looking at the final product, so this gives them an outlet to share that with me. I take this into consideration as I grade their projects.

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Grades do motivate, but they don't usually motivate in the kinds of peak experiences that can happen in a learning environment. Something like "have an epiphany, communicate an original thought, sit uncomfortably with your not knowing or build something that's never been built before" can't be motivated by a grade.

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I do not do this nearly as much as I should. Especially after reading this - I know it should be more of a priority! The more this is implemented, the more students will think about their work.

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I want to ask the 6th graders this! "Who cares more about your grade?" I think this would be a great conversation with them. I also like how that teacher had them write down their thoughts and feelings about the word "grade." I am interested to see what our students would say.